The Diary of a Sentimental Vulcan
by kbd1313
Summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged that Vulcans are in complete control of their emotions. I will now relate to you a series of anecdotes which suggest this theory to be, to use a human colloquialism, utter bullshit. This is the story about how I, Commander William Darcy, fell in love with Captain Elizabeth Bennet.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Thanks to my beta, Lucy1656! Please leave comments and, if you want to, you can leave plot suggestions. Message me if you have any questions. Live long and prosper.**

* * *

 **Commander's Personal Log: Stardate 2276.05**

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Vulcans are in complete control of their emotions. I will now relate to you a series of anecdotes which suggest this theory to be, to use a human colloquialism, utter bullshit. This is the story about how I, Commander William Darcy, fell in love with Captain Elizabeth Bennet.

First, some disclaimers. As a scientist, I should state a single, or even multiple, anecdotes are not enough grounds to completely prove or disprove a theory. Also, because I am only half-Vulcan, I cannot claim that Vulcans in general do not have complete control over their emotions. Although, based on my personal experiences, I am very skeptical of this generalization.

But I digress.

I often heard from my mother that if one wishes to tell a story, one should begin from the beginning. As a child I tended to only recite anecdotes using a very succinct method. My mother, as a human, was displeased with this form and wanted me to disclose details which I found superfluous. "How did his actions make you feel? Were you angered, saddened by your bully's taunts?" Questions which I find difficult to answer even today.

My father, a Vulcan anthropologist studying human society, met my mother on Earth and married her shortly afterwards. Depending on who he was speaking to at the time, he either claimed he married her due to scientific curiosity, or because he loved her. I myself, from what I can remember, believe it was a combination of the two.

 **Vulcan: Stardate 2254.13 (22 years ago)**

Ann and S'jvas Darcy argued quietly in the room next to where their firstborn slept. Well, S'jvas called it "a debate." Ann recognized it for what it was; an argument.

"I wish to have another child, S'jvas."

S'jvas tenderly caught her hand in his. "I will hear no more of this nonsense, t'hy'la. Please, put it out of your mind."

Ann looked at her husband in earnest. "Can you not see that this will be logical? We will not live forever, but to further our blood line would be a wonderful thing. William is such a kind and intelligent boy. He will do great things in this universe, and so will this next child!"

Her husband cast her a disapproving look before turning away from her. "Do not pretend that logic is your sole motivation. I know you too well to believe this."

"You are correct, ashayam. I want another child because I feel as if I have more love to give." She placed his hand over her heart. "Can you not feel it?"

S'jvas withdrew his hand and ignored her unshed tears. "It would be foolish of us to try to procreate again. Birthing William almost caused you to die. There is only a 17.3548% chance that you survive a second child. Please, do not ask this of me. I will never approve of this idea. It is illogical."

Ann opened her mouth, preparing to counter his statement when their son entered the room. At first glance William appeared to be just another Vulcan child, but on closer inspection a couple of characteristics stood out. His hair, like many in the Vulcan population, was black and cropped close to his hairline. His posture never faltered, and his clothes were a drab brown. However, his blue eyes, inherited from his mother, were an anomaly compared to the brown eyed children. Although it was apparent by William's slightly disheveled clothes that he had just awoken, his eyes and general demeanor were very alert.

"Come here, Will." Ann gestured for her son to sit on her lap.

"Mother," William replied while sitting on the edge of her knee. "I have informed you approximately seven times in the past month that I prefer the name William. Please refer to me as such." His voice was neither petulant nor irritable, but calm and composed.

"William," his mother relented, "would you be opposed to having a sibling?"

The child considered the question for a couple of seconds before answering. "I am indifferent to the prospect. It is not uncommon for stable families such as ourselves to have more than one child."

"Yes, but do you not wish for another child in the house? Someone for you to play with, protect, love?"

"...I am indiff-"

"Okay, William," Ann huffed before rolling her eyes in exasperation. Both her son and husband stared at her in confusion at her human expression of emotion.

"You win this battle, but I will win the war!" she exclaimed to S'jvas before playfully storming off.

"Most perplexing behavior," William said with an air of curiosity.

"Indeed, son. Indeed."

Another year past before the subject was brought up again. Surprisingly enough, S'jvas Darcy was the one to mention it.

S'jvas entered the room and immediately stood in front of his wife.

"I wish to discuss something of the utmost importance with you-the possibility of receiving another child into this family."

Ann dropped the PADD that was in her hand onto the table and looked up at her husband hopefully. "We're going to have a baby?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why have you suddenly changed your mind? It's very unlike you."

"I haven't changed my mind technically. I refuse to put you in danger despite your wishes. Yet, I believe that you are open to adoption, if I'm not mistaken."

Ann huffed out a breath of air. "I've researched that option most thoroughly. Vulcan orphans are very rare- practically nonexistent."

"Yes, it is quite true that strong familial ties in Vulcans prevent the necessity of adopting children out to families outside of their house. However, the child in question is not Vulcan."

"I don't understand. Interplanetary adoption is extremely difficult to navigate. It often takes years and there's a great financial burden. We can't afford that."

"Correct on all accounts. But this situation is relatively unique." S'jvas sat next to his wife on their settee. "At approximately 1400 hours yesterday I was contacted by an acquaintance whom I used to work with. She and her fellow crew members were researching archaic bacteria on Alastor VII, a planet that was believed to be uninhabited, when they discovered a shuttlecraft. The people involved were attempting to settle on Alastor VII, but a malfunction of their engines caused them to crash. While most of the settlers were uninjured there were a few casualties, including the father of a toddler. The toddler in question, as far as we can ascertain, has no extended family willing to adopt."

"That poor baby," Ann crooned sadly. "But do we not have the same issues with interplanetary adoption as we would with any other child?"

"My acquaintance, T'pei, confided in me that (even though she knows it is illogical) she and her research team feel a certain responsibility for the child as they were the ones to discover her and care for her until the Federation could arrive. The child is from Tasos, a planet where their child services are severely understaffed and underfunded. The majority of the orphans there have a fairly short life expectancy. T' pei convinced her mother, a member of the Vulcan council, to grant the child Vulcan residency. Tasos agreed. Although the child will technically be a Vulcan, members of the high council agreed that the child should have a human role model. T' pei suggested that we care for the child."

Ann stood up rather hastily. "We're getting a baby? Are they a boy or girl? How old? My goodness, we need to start preparing now!"

"Relax, t'hy'la. I will make all the necessary preparations. The child is a girl, and is 8.4 months old."

Ann was smiling broadly by now. "Her name?"

"Georgiana."

* * *

 **Earth: Stardate 2254.77 (22 years ago)**

Across the galaxy, around the same time that the Darcys were expanding their family, a little girl contemplated her destiny.

"I want to join Starfleet when I'm old enough," the girl announced to her silent family as they were eating dinner one night. "I'm going to be an officer."

Her mother tittered. "How ridiculous! Starfleet academy only accepts big, strong men who can fight!"

"My dear," her husband said, "I believe that you're forgetting that Starfleet is a peacekeeping organization that has one of the most diverse bodies of employees in the galaxy."

"Lizzie," Mrs. Bennet ignored Mr. Bennet's rebuttal, "wouldn't you rather be a mother?" she questioned as she rubbed her pregnant belly. "Or a doctor-"

"I suppose I could be a doctor-"

"-'s wife?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes as her older sister, Jane, and her father looked on in amusement. As Lizzie opened her mouth to respond, her younger sister, Mary, uncharacteristically interrupted the conversation.

"I would like to be a doctor."

"Enough of this nonsense, girls," their mother said in a high pitched manner. "You need realistic expectations."

"You're right," Lizzie said unexpectedly. Everybody turned to her in shock. She stuck her chin out. "I need to aim higher. I'll be a captain."

Her mother faltered in shock before continuing her rant. "That is not what I said, I said that-"

"I'm going to play with my telescope," Lizzie said before running out of the house.

"I didn't excuse you, young lady!"

After a moment Mr. Bennet followed his daughter outside where she was adjusting her telescope to face the night sky. Since leaving her house, Lizzie's manner had become more subdued as she considered her mother. Her father, reading her face, told her to ignore her mother's comments.

"I know, Dad. I just wish... I just want her to... I don't know what I want from her."

He laid his hand on her shoulder as she leaned into his side. "You just want her to support you, which is a completely acceptable feeling. She'll change her mind- eventually. You just have to prove her wrong."

Lizzie gazed upwards. The sky was clear of clouds, and the stars shone bright on the rural town. "There are thousands of worlds out there, with beings that are totally different from us. I'm going to meet them, to help the ones that need help. I want to let them know that they're not alone. I want to explore, to have completely new experiences."

"You will, Elizabeth. I believe in you."

Lizzie turned to her father, her face thoughtful and confident. "I _will_ be captain of a Starfleet ship one day. Just watch me."


	2. The Beginning

**Author's Note: Thank you to my beta,Lucy, and everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited! Again, if you have any questions, please feel free to message me.**

* * *

 **Commander's Personal Log: Stardate 2276.05**

In hindsight, my first meeting with Captain Bennet was not very successful.

 **Starfleet Academy: Stardate 2275.183 (Six Months Earlier)**

Elizabeth Bennet trudged into her temporary quarters while massaging her temples. The sterile, beige room did not help her mood. Her meeting with the admirals had gone just the way she expected; she was to have little control over her crew selections, but at least they finally deigned to inform her about the first couple of assignments. Thinking about her crew convinced Lizzie to finally open the file they sent her. After logging into the computer, a list of names and positions popped up and Lizzie scanned them with trepidation.

She was pleased that Charlotte, Mary, and Jane had been assigned to her ship. After looking for familiar names, she decided to research her bridge team as they would be the ones she would be working with the majority of the time. Lizzie pushed a button on the screen.

"Computer, bring up files for Commander William Darcy."

"Acknowledged. Task Completed," a robotic voice replied.

A picture of a stern, young man popped up on her screen along with a biography summary. She was surprised to note the green-tinted and pale skin, pointed ears, and cropped black hair; the only Vulcan in Starfleet history was to be on her ship. Lizzie had only read the first sentence of his biography when she heard a knock on her door. "It's Jane, Lizzie!"

Lizzie flipped the switch to open the doors. "Come on in!"

Jane stopped at the entrance. "Permission to enter, captain?" she asked while playfully saluting.

"Permission granted," Lizzie replied with a proud smile.

Jane squealed and ran over to hug her sister. "I can't believe you're a captain now! Actually, I can since you're brilliant and confident and a hard worker-"

"Shucks," Lizzie deadpanned, "you're making me blush."

"Have you looked at the officer list?"

"I'm researching my bridge crew now. You, Mary, and Char are all assigned to the Longbourn-"

"Yay!"

"-but I'm not acquainted with most of the staff."

"Well, let's look." Lizzie moved over and sat in the chair while Jane stood at her shoulder.

"According to Starfleet files," Lizzie informed Jane as she skimmed the information, "Darcy was awarded custody of his little sister when their father died. They moved to Earth when he was 18 Terran years old. He was accepted by Starfleet academy around the same time, and graduated three years later with high marks in both the command and science tracks. He spent almost four years teaching before being transferred to a research vessel for 18 months. After that he accepted the position as chief science officer aboard U.S.S. Lambton and now he's being promoted to First Officer on my ship."

Lizzie clicked on the file that held his previous superiors' recommendations. "Apparently Commander Darcy is well-respected, intelligent, and, as every one of them seems to stress, efficient. Although Captain Barrows did lament his communication skills. She said, and I quote, 'Commander Darcy is as talkative as an emotionally constipated Cozralin.' Ha! Get it, Jane?"

Lizzie laughed at Jane's sound of disbelief. "I can't believe Captain Barrows would say that in an official document!" Jane chided.

"Because Cozralins don't have mouths-"

"The poor man can't help it! He's Vulcan."

"Calm down, Jane. Nobody in Starfleet cares if the guy is quiet. I should probably meet him before the briefing tomorrow, though. I'll ask around- see if anyone's happened to see him. Want to come with me?"

* * *

Charles Bingley, no matter where he was, what he was doing, or who he was with, was always a cheerful man. When he had started Starfleet academy years ago, cadets always asked him why he was friends with "that Vulcan." William Darcy could, on occasion, be a tad blunt. Although he was respected and admired as a extremely intelligent scientist and dependable officer, he had yet to master the art of "small talk." Because Darcy was aware of his short-comings, he did not often initiate contact with his fellow cadets. The interactions with the few that approached him never turned out very well. When asked a question, he often answered in a succinct and frank manner. Therefore, their peers had difficulty comprehending how Bingley could frequently socialize with a being that was his total opposite in many ways. What they did not understand that it was because Bingley was relentlessly good-natured and optimistic that he was able to see the commendable aspects about Darcy and forge a friendship. Bingley had basically attached himself to Darcy's hip until Darcy became comfortable in his presence. Now, about a decade after their first meeting, Darcy and Bingley sat in Starfleet's mess hall and discussed some interesting news.

"I can't believed we've been assigned to the same ship, Darcy! And you, you got promoted to first officer! Aren't you excited?" Bingley's messy, bright red hair bobbed around as he reached across the table to slap Darcy on his shoulder.

Darcy, used to this type of behavior by now, merely set his utensils down before answering. "Having you assigned to the same ship will be an advantage as you are already familiar with my personality and demeanor. I am honored to be selected to this coveted position; however, I cannot claim to be as excited as you appear to be."

Bingley waved his hand around. Flecks of food flew off his fork to land in Darcy's soup. Darcy pushed his tray away and turned his attention towards Bingley again. "And did you hear who's going to be captain? Elizabeth Bennet! Remember when she saved that starbase?"

"Yes I do,as the event only occurred approximately 5 weeks ago-"

"I mean, hundreds of thousands of people are alive because of her actions!"

"Yes, I'm aware-"

"And she's going to be the captain of the ship we're on! Even you must be excited about our assignment now."

Darcy raised one of his eyebrows. "I'm sure that, like the majority of humans I know, I will find her to be illogical and bothersome." Darcy's attempt at a joke fell flat when Bingley failed to respond. Instead of chuckling, Bingley instead stared at him with wide eyes.

"Why are you making that expression?" Darcy questioned curiously.

"I'm sure, Commander, that you will learn to deal with my 'illogical' ways after some time," an amused voice said from behind him.

Darcy's back straightened as he turned to look at the women who were standing there. The short one on the left he instantly recognized as Elizabeth Bennet, his new captain. Her curly brown hair came to her mid back and her green eyes were alight with laughter. However, he failed to recognize the woman standing next to her. She was approximately 5 inches taller than Captain Bennet and had shiny blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"I'm Elizabeth Bennet, your new 'illogical' captain. You must be Commander Darcy and Lieutenant Bingley."

The other woman laughed somewhat nervously before extending her hand towards Darcy. "I'm Jane Bennet, Lizzie's sister. It's nice to meet you."

Darcy replied but made no move to shake her hand. "You as well."

Jane awkwardly moved her hand to rest by her side until Bingley hastily stood up and reached across the table for a handshake. "I'm Charles Bingley. Both Darcy and I were just assigned to the U.S.S. Longbourn with your sister. I'll be the chief communications officer."

"Oh, actually," Jane corrected, "I'll be on Longbourn too. I'm the ship's counselor."

Bingley sighed dreamily. "That's nice."

After a couple of seconds of Jane and Charles shyly smiling at each other while Darcy looked on in confusion, Lizzie cleared her throat. Bingley turned at the sound. "Captain, I am very excited about working with you. Darcy is too, right Darcy?"

Darcy nodded tersely. "Indeed."

"I just came over here to introduce myself and inform you two about the conference. The high ranking officers will be meeting in the command building in room 220A at 1700 hours tomorrow. I expect to see you both there."

Bingley nodded energetically. "Of course, captain."

"Acknowledged," Darcy replied without emotion.

Jane and Lizzie turned to walk away. When they were out of hearing range, Bingley playfully smacked Darcy's arm and cheerfully stated, "I think we made a good impression."

 **Conference Room 220A: Stardate 2275.184 (one day later)**

The conference room was small and fairly bare. A sleek table sat in the middle of the room and a projector attached to a small computer sat at the end. One wall of the room was composed of glass, and through it you could look down and see Starfleet cadets hurrying to get class. Seven people, all wearing red, blue, or gold shirts with black slacks sat around the table. At exactly 1700 Elizabeth stood up and inserted a disk into the computer.

Elizabeth breathed deeply before addressing the room. "Hello, my name is Elizabeth Bennet and, as you all know, I am the new captain of the U.S.S. Longbourn. I have met you all individually, but before discussing our first assignment I would like you to introduce yourself and state your title to your fellow crew-members."

She nodded to Darcy, who sat himself on her right. Darcy robotically stated, "I am Commander William Darcy, First Officer."

Bingley smiled widely as he introduced himself as the Chief Communications Officer.

Next a brown eyed, brown haired man introduced himself. Lizzie found that Officer James Fitzwilliam, although head of security, was a rather upbeat man. He smiled amiably as he claimed he looked forward to working with everyone.

Sitting next to Officer Fitzwilliam was her best friend of 20 years, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte's dark skin made her hazel eyes seem that much brighter, and her smile was polite and professional as she looked around the table. "I'm Dr. Charlotte Lucas, Chief Engineer."

Lizzie resisted narrowing her eyes at her friend. Charlotte had a soft, innocent face, and frequently used it to her advantage to hide her wicked sense of humor. Lizzie imagined Charlotte was using all this new information to come up with some sort of prank. She'll have to keep an eye on her.

Mary began her introduction shortly after Charlotte finished. Poor Mary had a seemingly permanent scowl, something which she was never aware of until someone asked her if she was angry. Her new acquaintances were a little confused by her demeanor as she announced her name and position as the Chief Medical Officer.

Lastly, a rather enthusiastic, bubbly Orion woman named Mary King introduced herself as the Chief Science Officer.

Captain Bennet, satisfied with introductions, proceeded to turn on the projector and begin the briefing. A picture of a silver planet projected onto the blank wall, and Lizzie began speaking.

"This is a Nyx, a class M planet-"

"Captain Bennet," Darcy leaned toward Lizzie while speaking quietly, "Section 2A under code 11-3 of the Federation Regulations states that privacy screens must be applied to any windows and doors of a room while discussing classified information."

Lizzie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her first officer. While he was technically correct, their first assignment was basically a milk run; officers routinely used the privacy screens when more sensitive information was being discussed. But, she stifled her first reaction and instead nodded at the commander. The window darkened after she pressed a button on the computer and she continued the presentation.

"-a class M planet that possesses a significant amount of dilithium crystals, which are essential for warp drive. Our first assignment is to perform physical check-ups on the ten miners inhabiting Nyx and to evaluate their security measures. Dr. Bennet will be performing the check-ups, of course, and Officers Lucas and Fitzwilliam are in charge of assessing their security."

Lizzie covered more details about their first mission before discussing their boarding date. "All personnel are to report to Bay 37 next Monday at 0800 hours to sign in before boarding the shuttlecraft that will take us to Longbourn. I expect you all to be there an hour earlier to help with check-in. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. If there are no more questions you are dismissed."

Captain Bennet struggled to repress her smile as the officers left the room while chatting with each other. It was happening; she had her own ship. Excitement ran through her as she contemplated her crew. The brightest minds the United Federation had to offer were going to be working with her. Although...

Her enthusiasm dampened slightly at the thought of Darcy. As her first officer, she is going to have to interact with him on a daily basis. The thought of her borderline emotionless second-in-command judging her constantly for her every little error was slightly daunting. But, Lizzie reminded herself as she squared her shoulders subconsciously, she had dealt with much more intimidating people to get to where she was now. She had a ship to run. As she exited the conference room, she told herself that not even Darcy could stop her from being passionate about her job.


	3. Planet Nyx

**Author's Note: Thanks to Lucy for being an amazing beta. I realize this is very late. Basically, I had bad writer's block and the result is a chapter that took half a year to write. My bad.**

 **One more thing. If incorrect details in a fanfic bother you, this may not be the story for you. Although I love Star Trek, I wanted this story to be more "in the spirit" of the show that an actual replication of one of the series. If you want to continue, great. If not, then you can offer to beta. I don't want to waste time rigorously researching officer titles, deck names, etc. that I could spend on writing. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and will post more soon. Or soon-ish.**

* * *

 **Commander's Personal Log: Stardate 2276.05**

Even with my eidetic memory, I cannot pinpoint the exact moment I began to fall in love with Captain Bennet. The emotions came upon me rather covertly, and the realization that I was emotionally invested in a non-existent relationship caught me somewhat abruptly. However, I can recall the moment when I first began to admire the captain for her ingenuity and bravery.

* * *

 **Nyx: Stardate 2275.188**

Captain Bennet stared bitterly at the surrounding landscape. Snow flurries leisurely swirled around her head and she clenched her gloved hands in agitation. The ground was completely white, and Lizzie could already feel her shoes begin to dampen. Growing up in a warm, humid climate meant that Lizzie always had a much harder time adapting to cold weather, and Nyx's freezing environment was no exception.

She looked to her right and frowned in jealousy. Despite being half Vulcan, and therefore having a supposed lower tolerance to the cold, Darcy seemed completely unbothered by the weather. The tips of his ears were a little green, but his attitude remained impassive.

Lizzie regretted taking the advice of their guide, a thirty-year old miner named Carter, who had suggested that they walk to the administration building. "It's only a mile," he'd said. "It'll be fun!"

This was _not_ her definition of fun.

The landing party had beamed down to the engineering building first and left Charlotte and Fitzwilliam to evaluate the machinery and security measures. The remainder of the group, including herself, Darcy, Mary, Ensign Leei, and Carter, was currently walking toward the administration building where the rest of the miners were waiting for their physicals. Lizzie almost shouted in relief at the warmth that greeted them as they entered the building's lobby.

She was quick to note that the administration building was utilitarian in style. The entire structure was divided into four sections, with one section containing only a couple of chairs and a small desk. Mary would use this room to examine the miners one at a time while Lizzie, Darcy, and Leei would wait in an adjacent room with the rest. Carter went into the examination room with Mary while Lizzie and Darcy conversed with the miners.

Well, _Lizzie_ conversed with the miners. Darcy, as usual, sat there rigidly without saying a word.

One of the workers, a woman around forty years old, grasped Lizzie's hand in hers. "We sure do appreciate the Federation taking time to send a doctor out here. The mines aren't as dangerous as they used to be, but it still helps to know that we're all healthy."

"Could you perhaps walk me through the process of mining dilithium crystals? I'm sure it's an interesting operation," Lizzie replied.

"Oh, no dear," the woman chuckled, "it's not very interesting at all. We have various machines and tools that help with the process, but most of the mining requires physical labor. Of course, I'm not complaining at all, seeing as how our compensation is very generous.

"Some people are paid more than others, though," a gruff, young man interrupted from the woman's side.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Dawson, Captain Bennet is not interested in your conspiracy theories.

"What are you talking about?" Lizzie questioned.

Dawson looked around the room before leaning over the woman to whisper to Lizzie. "We pair off into smaller groups to mine different areas. Somehow, Carter and Denny always appear at the end of the day with twice as many crystals as every other group. But they're always late, and they're the laziest bastards you ever met. Tell me, how is it possible they produce that many crystals in such a short amount of time?"

"Where is this Denny?"

"Like I said, always late."

Before Lizzie had a chance to reply, the door opened and Carter emerged and approached her and Darcy. Dawson immediately sat back in his chair to glare at Carter. "Would anyone like a tour of the area?" Carter asked with a charming smile. "There's not much, but I'm sure it'll be more entertaining than waiting around here."

Lizzie quickly declined, thinking of the cold weather. "Thank you for the offer, but I should stay here with Dr. Bennet." Darcy also politely declined, although he didn't bother giving a reason. "I'm sure Ensign Leei would enjoy a tour though," Lizzie said while gesturing across the room where Leei was talking to a young woman. Carter bid them farewell and approached the ensign, and they both left the building.

* * *

Outside the snow had stopped. Carter showed Leei around the small shacks the miners lived in, as well as some of the mines. As they walked back towards the administration building, Carter finally gave in and asked the question that had been flitting around his head since he had seen Leei.

"Out of curiosity, what planet are you from? I have a little obsession with alien genealogy."

Leei smiled as if he was asked this a lot. Although the ensign's features were almost human, his skin held a purple tint and his ears were twice as large as his peers. "It's a funny story, but my grandfather was actually a-"

He stopped talking and Carter noticed his ears perk up. "Do you hear that?" Leei asked suddenly before dashing toward one of the caves a couple hundred yards away. Carter followed him until they entered a narrow tunnel. The walls were jagged and loose rocks were scattered about. Carter grabbed Leei's arm.

"Where are you going?"

Leei gestured behind him. "I hear something whimpering. I'm going to check it out." Leei tried to continue but Carter held firm. Leei looked back to question him only to see Carter looking panicked.

"You can't go back there!"

Leei reached for his phaser just as a rock smashed against the back of his skull. The injured man crumpled to the ground as Carter glared at the man with the rock.

"Was that necessary, Denny? Leei seemed like a good guy!"

Denny shouted back, "Of course it was necessary. He could've ruined the whole operation! And you lead him here!"

"I didn't lead him here, the guy has some great hearing-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Carter. Go drag him to the other side of the administration building and tell the Federation officers he fell and hit his head. Make it look like an accident. I'm going to go secure the animals." Grubby hands grabbed Carter's shirt and Denny dragged him forward as he hissed, "Do not screw this up."

A short time later the landing party was seen following Carter to where Ensign Leei laid on the ground at the base of a small hill. Mary had her medical tricorder out and scanned Leei's body while Lizzie turned to Carter. "What happened to him?"

"We were walking over the hill when he tripped on a rock. He must of hit his head or something. I tried waking him up but he didn't respond."

Mary leaned back on her heels and looked up at the captain. "He's alive but his vitals are alarmingly weak and he has cerebral hemorrhaging. I need to get him to medical bay immediately."

While the rest of the team had their eyes on Mary, Lizzie was covertly watching Carter. His eyes had widened in alarm after Mary had declared Leei's diagnosis. Lizzie pressed the communicator on her chest. "Transporter room, beam up Dr. Bennet, Ensign Leei, and the miner immediately. Have medical standing by and tell Yeoman Ramirez to take the miner's statement on Leei's accident. Bennet out."

After they beamed up, Lizzie turned to her first officer. "Did something seem off to you, Commander Darcy?"

Darcy thought carefully before answering, as always. "Yes, Ensign Leei's injury was to the back of his skull, as indicated by the blood on his hair and the back of his collar. Yet when we found him he was lying face down. His position would only be logical if he fell backwards and rolled over, which is possible but unlikely. In addition, the snow on the hill appears-"

"Undisturbed, precisely," Lizzie agreed. "In fact, it hasn't been snowing for about an hour, so the snow couldn't have possibly covered up tracks. Carter's story doesn't add up. Not to mention how panicked he looked when Charlotte announced that Leei was alive." Lizzie paused before adding, "Darcy, scan for lifeforms near us. Something is fishy about this situation."

Darcy was a little perplexed by the idiom, but followed her order quickly. "The only humanoid lifeforms in the vicinity are us and the miners in the building. However, the tricorder is showing a group of non-humanoid lifeforms in a cave approximately .43 kilometers in that direction," Darcy stated, pointing to their left.

"The only pair of footsteps near here is also coming from that way," Lizzie noted. "We'll start there. Look for blood on the ground or for any indication that Leei was carried."

Lizzie and Darcy followed the single set of footprints to a cave, damp and cold from the snow that had drifted inside. Darcy squeezed in behind Lizzie as they entered the short tunnel. "What the hell?" Lizzie muttered to herself as the tunnel started to expand into a small cavern. Stacked, rusty kennels lined the walls, filled to the brim with small animals. Some of them whimpered quietly, as if in pain. Lizzie and Darcy quickly crossed the small room to look inside the cages. "They look like rabbits," Lizzie mumbled to herself as she examined them. These animals did indeed resemble their Terran counterparts, with the exception of the copper colored scales that covered their bodies. Wide eyes looked up at the humans in confusion as Darcy took out his tricorder.

"These animals are called quigins and typically reside in burrows." Darcy eyed the animals critically. "They appeared injured and starved." Bones jutted out from their sides, and blue blood flecked their long nails. Lizzie distastefully noted the rotten food and feces at the bottom of the cages.

"This must have something to do with Denny and Carter, but I'm not quite sure how it all fits. Darcy, help me let them loose," Lizzie commanded as she starting fidgeting with the locks. "Darcy?" Lizzie questioned when her first officer failed to step forward. Instead he stood still, gazing thoughtfully at the creatures.

"Captain, we have no evidence that Denny and Carter were involved in this incident."

"We'll figure that out later. Just help me get them out." Lizzie tugged at the locks unsuccessfully.

"Humans tend not to confess to wrongdoing unless confronted with evidence. I believe our best course of action would be to observe the miners with these animals. Even if we cannot ascertain exactly how they are using them to their benefit or if they were the ones to assault Ensign Leei, we can still charge them with four violations of animal abuse under Federation regulations." Darcy's face remained neutral as he said this.

"Darcy," Lizzie breathed in disbelief. "How can you say that? We need to get them veterinary care now!" As if to punctuate her sentence, an animal in front of her let out a mewl of pain.

"If we take this action I believe we will not have sufficient evidence to arrest Denny and Carter, which means they may do this again," Darcy calmly replied. "While I will of course follow any order you may give, I must insist on an alternative set of action." Looking into Lizzie's eyes, Darcy emphasized his words. "If not, these animals may be back here within a week, and we will not be here to release them. In addition, we might never know what happened to Ensign Leei."

Lizzie reluctantly tore her eyes away from the poor animals. "You're right. I know you're right, I just don't like it." Her back straightened and she tone became commanding. "Alright, here's the plan..."

* * *

Darcy and Lizzie pressed together in a recess off to the side of the entrance to the cavern. The small alcove afforded just enough space for them to stand face to face, and to remain hidden as long as no one turned around after entering the room. Lizzie had never been a quiet person, and after fifteen minutes the silence began to unnerve her. Although she knew they should be listening for footsteps, she couldn't resist saying suggestively, "Hey Darcy, is that a phaser in your pocket? Or are you just happy to see me?"

She thought the joke would break up the awkward tension.

She thought wrong.

Darcy frowned down at her. "No, captain, my phase is in its hostler, as per Federation regulation seven-"

"Never mind, just a joke."

"I do not understand, why would my phaser be in my pocket? Easy access to the weapon is the most logical choice, and furthermore-"

Over the sound of Darcy's prattling, Lizzie heard muffled footsteps. Lizzie frantically hushed Darcy, who fell silent immediately. They faintly heard a heated conversation.

"You almost messed up the whole operation, you imbecile!"

"Me?" A voice Lizzie recognized as Carter responded incredulously. "You're the one who assaulted a Federation officer!"

"I had to do that because of your incompetence! You practically showed him to the door!" The conversation got louder as the men entered the room and stood in front of the cages. The animals, which had been relatively calm in Darcy and Lizzie's presence, started hissing and whimpering. "Shut up," Denny turned to yell at the animals. "We need to move them. If the Federation finds out we'll get fired, not to mention at least some fines."

"Fines?! We'll get arrested. Leei was barely alive when they found him!"

"Stop whining and pick up a kennel," Denny barked as he turned to the cart in the corner.

Lizzie stepped out of the alcove, Darcy right behind her. She and Darcy pointed their phasers at the miners. "Hands up, you are both under arrest for the assault on Ensign Blublay Leei and-"

Denny shot forward and tackled Lizzie, who grunted from the impact. Denny made a desperate grab for the phaser, which Lizzie avoided by tossing it across the room to Darcy. Darcy effortlessly caught it, and Lizzie whipped her hands up to box Denny's ears during the distraction. The miner howled in pain and grabbed his head, which left his abdomen open. Lizzie quickly jabbed her fist into the soft flesh, and bucked up her hips to dislodge him. Lizzie lifted herself up while Darcy continued to point the phasers at Carter and Denny. "Thanks for the help, Darcy," Lizzie grumbled sarcastically.

Darcy lifted an eyebrow at her while glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "You looked like you had it under control, Captain."

Chuckling weakly, Lizzie looked down at the man moaning in pain on the ground. "Yeah, I guess I did."


	4. The Match

**Author's Note: Thanks again to my beta. Also, I know it's been a long time since I last posted, and that's my bad, but I definitely will finish this story.**

* * *

 **Captain's Personal Log: Stardate 2275.196**

I find myself in a professional dilemma involving my first officer. Commander Darcy is extremely diligent and efficient... in fact, maybe a little too diligent. He stares at me so hard it's like I can feel the judgment rolling off him. Yesterday, during target practice, he stood directly behind me and glared at me for over an hour. It's so difficult to get a read on that Vulcan that I don't know how to proceed. He's not disrespectful, he hasn't corrected me in front of the crew since that first briefing, and to be honest his work ethic is phenomenal. Officially, there's nothing to complain about. I've thought about talking to him on a personal level, but I don't think the commander has a personal level. It would be almost funny if it didn't happen so often. I look across the mess hall, he's glaring at me. I look up from my chair on the bridge, he's glaring at me.

I think it would be a good idea to get to know him better. Not because I particularly care about his opinion of me, but Federation ships tend to run smoother if the captain and the first officer are in sync. Of course, Commander Darcy might consider this to be a little painful/unnecessary, but I've made up my mind.

* * *

 **U.S.S. Lonbourn: Stardate 2275.195 (day before)**

James Fitzwilliam sat on the chair in front of the console in the empty engineering bay, and reached out his hand to poke Charlotte Lucas's ribcage. The interruption caused her to briefly lose her intense focus on the panel in front of her.

"Pay attention to me," Fitzwilliam whined playfully, and continued jabbing her side softly until she looked away from her work. Her mouth tilted into a small smile even as she chastised him.

"Don't you have a job? Aren't there things you should be securing?"

"No," Fitzwilliam huffed, "I'm not on duty right now. And we dropped off those miners at a Starbase 57 days ago."

Charlotte clutched her head briefly before turning to face her friend. "Shit, I can't believe I've forgotten that already. So, uh, Lizzie never told me. I know they're being tried for assault because of Leei, but what were they doing with the animals?"

Fitzwilliam's face darkened. "The assholes were starving them and then would put them in a blocked off mine. The poor things would try to claw their way out through the dirt. Apparently, their attempts dislodged a lot of dilithium in the process."

"Psychopaths," Charlotte muttered before returning to her work.

Fitzwilliam looked around pointedly. "Where are your minions? Shouldn't they be helping you with..." he trailed off, looking over her shoulder and squinting at the equations. "With whatever the hell you're working on?"

"Most of my minions are off right now, although one of them is supposed to be helping me, ensign!" The last part was yelled at a young man who had started to timidly poke his head around the intermix chamber. "Do you have the specs on the magnetic capacitors that I requested?" Charlotte barked.

"Y-Yes, ssir!" the man managed to stutter out.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow and silently held out her hand.

"I mean, no sir!"

"I need those by the end of your shift," Charlotte ground out impatiently before turning back to the console. The ensign walked away quickly, relief clearly written on his face.

"So..." Fitzwilliam started out carefully. "What's wrong?"

Charlotte stopped and plopped into the chair next to him. "I have a literal shit ton of work to do, and I don't trust anybody else to do it. I- I mean if something gets screwed up the ship might actually blow up."

Fitzwilliam waved his hand. "Of course I understand. It's not like your crew consists of some of the most intelligent and well-trained-"

"Ha ha," Charlotte mockingly laughed. "Alright I get it. But-but"

"Okay, crazy, we're going for a walk," he said gently while standing up.

Charlotte crossed her arms and stood up straighter in her chair. "I'm working, maybe later."

"Yeaahhh, I checked the schedule before I came here, and you're not even on this shift. No excuse, let's go."

Charlotte grumbled in response, but stood up to follow into the corridor.

"You know, most heads of departments learn how to delegate. Look at the captain, she's given a lot of responsibilities to Darcy," Fitzwilliam pointed out as they walked toward the turbolift. "Deck 3," he stated to the computer as they stepped inside.

"I'd delegate too,"Charlotte scoffed in response, "if my second-in-command was a robot." She turned her head towards her companion when he let out a soft chuckle. "What?"

"It just always amused me when people called him uptight. Trust me," Fitzwilliam whispered as they exited the lift, "next to the other Vulcans he's downright _cheerful_."

"Why are you whispering?" Charlotte questioned. "Also, how the hell would you know that he's 'cheerful'? I wasn't aware you spent a lot of time with Vulcans."

He nodded to a passing crewmember as they entered the mess hall. "Well, one, I don't want that to get back to Darcy, he was always weird about being emotional. Two, I wouldn't say I was on Vulcan a lot, per se, but I traveled there every couple of years or so to visit him."

Charlotte paused and grabbed his arm. "Back up. Why were you visiting Vulcan?"

"Because," he replied slowly, "he's my cousin?"

"How is that possible? You are human, right?" Charlotte asked, confusion clouding her features as she looked pointedly at his ears.

"Yep, but he's only half Vulcan. Our mothers are sisters." Fitzwilliam started to walk over to the replicator, but stopped when he noticed his companion didn't follow.

"That information is... baffling," Charlotte blurted. "He's so..." she waved her hand over her face vaguely.

"Vulcan?" Fitzwilliam supplied.

"Err sure. Let's go with that."

"Darcy has feelings, he's just not expressive. You'll get used to reading him after awhile." Fitzwilliam peered around the hall. The gray tables and chairs scattered around the room were missing their usual occupants. "Why is it empty here? It's the end of beta shift, there should be more people in here, or at least some people."

Charlotte walked over to the panel on the wall across from the replicator. "Computer, display map of crewmembers' current whereabouts." She gestured to a room on deck 2. "Where are there so many people in the phaser range?"

-Five minutes later-

"Damn," Fitzwilliam admiringly exclaimed as they walked into the phaser range, "Captain Bennet's kicking ass."

"She certainly practiced enough at the academy," Charlotte responded knowingly. "She looks a little bored though."

The phaser range was a large dome with black walls. Spots of vibrant colors, which acted as the targets, moved across the walls at various speeds. A line halved the room, separating the spectators from the two participants. The group of crew members stood in the half near the entrance and watched their captain and Ensign Omar aim their phasers at the fleeing targets. Lizzie hit target after target, her posture casual. Omar hit some of the slower targets, but was falling behind rapidly and becoming visibly frustrated.

Fitzwilliam grabbed Charlotte's hand and walked her through the small crowd to where his cousin stood near the short, circular stage in the middle of the room. Darcy was standing almost directly behind the captain, staring at her intently with a curious look on his face.

"Hey, Will, what's going on?"

"The captain has been competing with various members of the crew for 1.43 hours. I believe her skill has attracted the crowd around us. No one has been able to trump her so far. She is very proficient," he admitted while continuing to study Lizzie.

James elbowed Charlotte while quickly looking at Lizzie and Darcy alternatively. Charlotte mouth "what?" at him and he imitated a swoon before raising his eyebrow and smirking.

Charlotte snorted before turning back to Darcy. "What level are they on?" she asked the commander with a little trepidation.

"Level 12. I believe I will ask to be the next competitor, if she is willing to continue. It will be excellent practice." As he finished his sentence, the match ended and Omar stepped down from stage.

"Who wants next?" Lizzie asked amicably.

Darcy raised his voice in response. "I would like to participate. Computer, initiate level 13."

Darcy stepped on the podium and took the phaser Omar offered.

"Oh this is not going to end well, is it?" Charlotte questioned nervously. "Lizzie's not a sore loser, per se, but she can get really into a game."

James gestured to the stage. "She doesn't seem like she's really invested in it." Lizzie's face started to show a little strain as she and Darcy quickly hit the targets darting across the wall. They were evenly matched, and crew members' eyes flickered back and forth as they watched the scene.

"She's just trying to be professional. Trust me, she enjoys a good match... maybe a little too much," she admitted as Lizzie became more animated, waving her phaser around quicker and grinning maniacally.

"Yeah, Will can get a little competitive too," Fitzwilliam stated. "Although," he added as Charlotte looked pointedly at Darcy's blank expression, "you'd never know it."

The game continued for a few more minutes. Darcy methodically aimed and hit the targets, while Lizzie grinned excitedly and aimed at whatever targets she saw first. Elizabeth gave a playful groan when she saw the score; Darcy narrowly defeated her. She slapped him on the shoulder lightly.

"Good game, Commander. We should definitely practice together again," she exclaimed.

Darcy stared at her steadily. "Of course, captain. Excuse me," he responded shortly before walking off.

"What a charmer," Fitzwilliam muttered before following him.

"That was fun," Lizzie laughed. "I like a good contest."

"I know you do, Liz, but you might want to tone it down for Darcy's sake," Charlotte smirked as she walked to the exit with the captain and the rest of the crew members.

"Darcy's sake? He won."

Her friend smiled slyly. "Oh, it's not that. I'm pretty confident that competition is Vulcan foreplay."

Elizabeth shushed her before frantically looking around to make sure nobody around them overheard. The straggling crew members were talking among themselves and passed as she pulled Charlotte to the side of the hallway. "Okay, one, if rumors like that get back to Commander Darcy he'll probably make you take species sensitivity training. Two, if the way he was glaring at me was any indication I don't exactly have to worry about that."

"He wants to make little Vulcan babies with youuu," Charlotte sang.

"I'll make you take that class myself if you continue," Lizzie vowed as she walked away.

Charlotte called to the receding figure. "Just don't be too proficient!"

"I don't understand what you're talking about!" Lizzie shouted back before walking into the turbolift.

"Ha, proficient. Hilarious," Charlotte murmured to herself before looking around the empty hallway. "James is going to love that."


	5. The Visitor

**First Officer's Log: Stardate 2275.206**

The U.S.S. Longbourn is currently traveling to Lantax II, a relatively small M-class planet located in the Gamelan system. Our mission is to start a dialogue between the Federation and the Collins, the only intelligent species on the planet, who have recently expressed a wish to join the Federation. The away team will need to travel to the planet via shuttlecraft, as naturally occurring electromagnetic whirlwinds will interfere with the ability to utilize many types of technology on their planet, including transporters. Their patriarchal society consists of approximately two thousand Collins, and given their inclination for tradition, it is rather surprising they reached out to the Federation at all. The away team will be greeted by the ruler of the Collins, a self-proclaimed king who goes by the name William. With our current speed of warp 3, we will arrive in approximately 56 hours.

 **U.S.S. Longbourn, Captain's Quarters: Stardate 2275.206 at 0747 hours**

Captain Bennet sat at the desk in her living room, carefully going over some administrative forms. The walls of her quarters were a drab gray and worn from previous use, but were disguised fairly well due to Jane's decorations. Blue lights mounted on the wall created a calm ambiance, and bright knick knacks littered the room. A purple quilt sat on the sofa across from the desk, and artifacts from Lizzie's previous adventures dotted the wall.

Lizzie yawned and pushed the forms to the side as she glanced at the computer clock. She had woken up early to get ahead on some of her administrative duties before her shift started, but was currently regretting being proactive. The forms were so tedious she was falling asleep again. A flash of light to her left startled her, and she gaped as a teenage girl appeared in the spot. Quickly recovering, Lizzie jumped to her feet in what she hoped looked like an alert- and not startled- demeanor.

The girl clasped her hands together before bouncing on her toes in obvious excitement. "The star of the show! Captain Bennet, nice to meet you, I've traveled so far for this! Well not that far but far enough- not that travel's really a problem for my species but I'd like to think it was the thought that counted. But I am very excited to meet you and I'm kind of..."

As the girl rambled on Lizzie carefully surveyed the intruder. Her skin was a light brown color, and thick black hair cascaded down her back. A nose ring accentuated her thin nose and wide cheekbones. Her body was lanky; her movements made Lizzie think she just had a growth spurt and hadn't quite adjusted to her new height yet. Her shoulders hunched in a little bit even as she waved her hands wildly with each word. Lizzie put a hand on her shoulder to interrupt the teenager's babbling.

"What's your name?"

"Oh, humans can't pronounce my name, but I think I'll go by Eris," the girl nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay," Lizzie gestured towards the couch, "Eris, please have a seat."

Eris practically jumped onto the couch in excitement while Lizzie pulled up her desk chair to sit across from her.

"Eris, you keep saying 'my species.' What species are you? You look human to me."

For the first time she arrived, Eris went completely still. She looked sad, but apologetic. "I can't tell you that. My species isn't known to humans. Because of your history of violence, the elders thought that we shouldn't reveal ourselves quite yet." She looked down at her body. "And this is just the form I thought fit me the most, because I'm still pretty young, but we aren't usually humanoids."

"Why are you on my ship then?" Lizzie questioned in confusion.

Her liveliness returned as she answered. "Because I'm doing my school project on you! I thought maybe a day in your legs would be helpful. I would get to learn all about being a human captain in Planet fleet."

Lizzie smiled gently before responding. "While that is flattering, I have to tell you there are certain procedures to shadowing a captain in Starfleet. In fact, there are even procedures just for being on one of the vessels. I can get in contact with some of the administrators over at the nearest starbase and see what I can do. Also, the expression is 'to walk a day in your shoes,' not legs." Lizzie started walking over to the panel to contact security when Eris grabbed her wrist and winced dramatically.

"Wellll here's the thing. Since the whole 'humans don't know about my species' thing I can't let you do that."

Lizzie tugged her wrist again, but the girl's grip was stronger than she expected. In fact, Eris was much stronger than she looked.

"Also, legs would be more correct than shoes since I'll be adopting your entire body, not just your footwear." Lizzie jumped up and walked backwards, startled as Eris shifted into an exact replica of herself.

Eris noticed, and with what she thought was a reassuring tone, spoke to the captain. "There's no need to be afraid, I'll only be you for a couple of days. Three at max! And you won't remember me, so I won't have to worry about giving up my species' secret! It's perfect!"

"Securi-" Lizzie called out urgently before Eris knocked her out with a wave of her hand. The girl awkwardly helped Lizzie fall on the couch in an undignified heap instead of on the floor, and wandered over to the closet.

Eyeing herself in the mirror next to the closet, Eris turned from side to side. "For a human Elizabeth's pretty cute. Ugh, but this outfit is so hideous."

She quickly rummaged through the closet and pulled out an old uniform. "This is way cuter."

 **The Bridge at 0831 hours**

"Here's the final list of the away team." Fitzwilliam gestured to a file on his console, and Darcy leaned closer to view the names.

"This looks sufficient," Darcy remarked after skimming over the short list.

"So Captain Bennet's running pretty late. Should I send somebody to check on her?"

Darcy glanced at the clock on the console, even though he knew the time to the second already. "This is very unusual for her," Darcy admitted before pressing down on his communicator. "Captain Bennet, please re-"

The door to the turbolift hissed open, interrupting Darcy, and a cheerful Captain Bennet flounced out.

Fitzwilliam smiled in greeting. "Good morning, captain! You had us a little worried."

Darcy observed Lizzie carefully when she failed to respond to his cousin's remark. Her hair had obviously been straightened, and her usually bare cheeks were covered in blush. Her uniform, a red dress, was a little tighter than normal, and paired with heeled boots that were definitely not regulation. However, it was the captain's expression that baffled him the most. Her wide eyes flitted around the bridge, carefully surveying the bridge as if viewing it for the first time, and while he did not consider himself proficient in human behavior, he knew this was irregular for her.

"Captain," Darcy noted after glancing at her upper chest, "your communicator seems to be missing."

Lizzie darted her eyes to Darcy before continuing to look around in awe. "It ruined the lines of the outfit, so I just left it in her- my room."

"Captain, are you feeling okay?" Fitzwilliam questioned gently, giving voice to Darcy's concern.

Turning to answer him, Lizzie did a double take. "Yeah, I'm fine. Great! You- how are you doing?"

Fitzwilliam replied slowly. "I'm good."

The captain laughed loudly, and Fitzwilliam flinched a little in surprise before letting out a weak chuckle.

Darcy interrupted the awkward interaction, looking back and forth between his cousin and the captain. "Why is that humorous?"

Lizzie coyly looked up at Fitzwilliam through her eyelashes. "Oh, you know, he's just a funny guy."

Fitzwilliam let out another embarrassed chuckle before an ensign tapped the captain on her shoulder.

"Captain?" the ensign insisted as she just continued to stare at the security officer. The captain looked over at the ensign sharply. "Captain Bennet," the ensign began nervously, "you asked me to remind you that Vice Admiral Webb will be contacting you at 0900."

"Tell them I'm not here," she dismissed the shocked ensign with a casual shrug.

"Captain," Darcy followed her as she walked to her chair in the middle of the bridge, "would you like me to discuss the new personnel with Vice Admiral Webb?"

Again, Lizzie shrugged casually. "If that's what floats your boat, dude," she agreed, patting Darcy on his shoulder before gingerly sitting in the captain's chair.

The crewmembers looked at each other warily, all wondering at the captain's behavior.

 **The Bridge at 1034 hours**

The captain's legs hung over one of the chair's arms, and her head lolled as she whispered to herself. "This is so freaking boring."

"Did you say something, captain?" the helmsman, a tall, thin Bajoran woman, turned slightly to question the restless commanding officer.

"No, it's nothing," she replied in a petulant tone before suddenly standing up. "I have something I need to do; I'll be back in a little bit," she announced loudly before darting off to the turbolift.

The helmsman turned to the navigator, raising her eyebrow. "That was odd, right?"

Commander Darcy, who had been hovering next to their consoles, answered absentmindedly while staring at the closed turbolift door. "Yes, it was."

 **Captains Quarters at 1316 hours**

Eris sat at the captain's desk, skimming through her personal logs. She turned to the couch, where Lizzie was sleeping peacefully.

"Ya know," Eris confessed while wagging her finger at the unconscious woman, "I thought you would be a lot more fun to imitate. I saw you on a news channel that my planet gets, and I thought, 'She's so awesome. Elizabeth Bennet is smart, a badass, and pretty at the same time!' And while you might be those things, you're also kind of boring. You're not having any grand romance like I thought you would, and your job isn't just saving people from bad guys. Oh, and now I'm feeling guilty because I'm calling you boring and you can't even, like, respond!"

Lizzie gave a soft snore in response and Eris crossed her arms to pout. "Fine! I'll be gone by tomorrow morning, and you can get back to your dull-"

"Commander Darcy to Captain Bennet," the communicator on the desk chirped.

Eris's hand hesitated over the object. She didn't really feel like answering, but if she didn't somebody from security might come knocking-again. She nodded decisively, pushing down on the communicator at the same time. "Yes?"

"Dr. Bennet requests your presence in the sickbay. Dr. Lucas and Ensign Patel sustained some minor injuries while repairing the tractor beam; they're currently undergoing treatment."

 _Finally, something interesting!_ Eris thought while popping a peppermint in her mouth. "Okay, I'll be there in a minute," she replied while trying to not to smile.

 **Sickbay at 1348 hours**

"What happened next?" Jane inquired, her soothing tone having no effect on the man she was questioning.

Darcy answered in his usual brief tone. "Captain Bennet then claimed she had a responsibility that required her attention before leaving the bridge. I sent Ensign Lawa to confirm she was physically well, and she has not left her quarters since that time."

"It is unlike her to ignore her duties, but was there anything else that was wrong with her?" Jane started making notes as Darcy responded.

"In addition to her tardiness, several crewmembers have claimed the captain has been acting 'off.' Officer Fitzwilliam insists Captain Bennet was making romantic advances toward him, and three other bridge officers made passing comments about her odd behavior. I myself had not noticed anything particularly different about her conduct until I called to request her presence in the sickbay."

Jane looked up sharply. It was one thing for the human officers to notice issues with Lizzie, it was another for the commander to notice something. Although she had only known him for a couple of weeks, Jane could tell he was almost painfully oblivious to the nuances of human behavior. "What was different?"

"When I informed her of Dr. Lucas and Ensign Patel's injuries, the captain conveyed a rather excited demeanor." "

You mean she was happy about the accident?" Jane's normal tranquil voice rose in incredulity.

Across the small room, Dr. Lucas turned to Dr. Bennet. "What do you think is wrong with Lizzie?" Charlotte asked quietly as Mary held up the dermal generator to her shoulder.

Mary paused before venturing a guess. "Maybe she's feeling ill? You know how she used to deny it every time she was sick." Her usual monotone voice deepened a little with concern.

Jane walked over and wrapped her arm around Charlotte's uninjured side. "I'm sure she's fine. We'll figure out whatever's happening and she'll be okay. You know she always is."

The group turned toward the entrance as the door hissed open, and a disheveled Captain Bennet walked in. "Sorry I'm late," she huffed out as the small group continued to stare, "I got a little lost."

"Alright, that's it," Mary scolded as she pushed Lizzie towards a biobed. "I'm giving you a physical before Jane gets to interrogate you. There is absolutely no way you forgot your way around the ship."

The captain let out a little yip of protestation as Mary forced her to sit. "I'm fine! There's no need for this," Lizzie sputtered nervously as Mary waved around a medical scanner.

Mary suddenly stilled, and drew back from the captain. An alarming message glared from the scanner. "Unknown species."

"You're not my sister," she accused softly while stepping back from the impostor.

The creature dressed at Lizzie stood up with her hands out in a placating manner. "Don't panic, I come in peace. Wait- is that too cliche?"

"Security, report to sickbay-" Darcy began to speak into the communicator as the door opened again. Captain Bennet stepped through, holding a phaser in one hand and gesturing to the security crewmembers behind her to arrest the intruder with her other hand.

Eris grimaced as security surrounded her. "This has been very educational, but I'm gonna scram. And you all will forget now!" She snapped her fingers, but security continued to get closer. "Uh oh. I knew I should've paid more attention in my classes. Well, I apologize for the confusion, but I can't stay. Toodles!" the girl cried out before disappearing completely.

The various people in the room continued to stare in shock at the place where Eris had disappeared, but the captain rounded on her first officer. Her angry tone moved his attention quickly. "Commander Darcy, I want to talk to you in the hallway."

Once there, Lizzie paced back and forth a couple of times before rounding on the man standing resolutely in front of the closed sickbay door. "Six hours. Somebody impersonated me for six hours before you knew. And according to Fitzwilliam she wasn't even convincing!" Lizzie started pacing again after her declaration, frustration and fear clawing at her skin. "What if next time the person isn't so benign, huh? What if somebody kills me, then decides to take over the ship using my face?"

"Captain I-" Darcy began, but stopped as Lizzie held up her hand. "I'm not finished, Commander. I know you're Vulcan, and you have a harder time reading human emotion, but I will not put this ship and its crew in jeopardy again." Lizzie continued, her tone taking on a more apologetic tone. "I'm also aware that if somebody was pretending to be you I probably couldn't tell. But that's going to change. From now on, we will be spending a lot of our free time together, at least until we know each other well enough that this won't be a concern. I know code words would be standard in this case, but if the impersonator is from telepathic race then code words won't be sufficient. I'm not willing to take the chance, so starting tomorrow you will report to my quarters after your shift is over. Is that understood?"

Commander Darcy nodded, a hint of a thoughtful look on his face. "That is logical. I will report tomorrow at 1700 hours."

"Okay. Alright. I will see you then," Lizzie grumbled as she walked back into the sickbay, almost running into Fitzwilliam, who was walking into the hallway to talk to his cousin.

"That was crazy!" he gestured to the sickbay. "I thought maybe the captain just hit her head too hard, but that was a completely different person. So, what did she say to you?"

"Captain Bennet explained that she thought it prudent for us to 'get to know each other better,' in case an event like this occurs again. I believe-" The commander stopped talking as his cousin bursts into laughter. "Why is that humorous? It's a logical step to prevent any similar occasions- not that I believe it likely this situation will reoccur."

Fitzwilliam guffawed throughout his explanation, and finally quieted down to chuckles when Darcy continued to stare at him questioningly. The amused officer just shook his head at his naive relative. "You're so screwed. You don't know it yet, but you are! You poor bastard."


	6. Why can't we be friends?

Author's Notes: Thanks again to Lucy for being an awesome beta.

* * *

 **Commander's Personal Log: Stardate 2276.05**

I would like to think if I fell in love with Captain Bennet, it's because we were forced by circumstances to know each other better.

But I'm also aware that that is probably not true.

However, so much close contact more than likely accelerated that process. We ate the majority of meals together, discussed our childhoods and family, and worked in close quarters for many months. My reticent nature prevents me from forming friendships easily, but that did not deter the captain. Although our first meeting with the express purpose of learning about each other better did not go smoothly, that did not stop Captain Bennet's inquisition.

 **U.S.S. Longbourn, Captain's Quarters: Stardate 2275.207 at 1658 hours**

Lizzie glanced at the clock, cursing at the bright red numbers while she struggled with her blouse. Her second-in-command had a penchant for showing up on the dot, and she regretted the nap she took after her shift. Accidentally sleeping in seems like something the Vulcan would scoff at, inwardly of course, and she didn't need another reason for him to judge her. She slipped on a boot, and focused on it even when she heard the door bell ring. "I'm coming!" she yelled while heading towards the mirror. Her hair was a mess, with frizzy brown wisps forming a halo around her head. Sighing, Lizzie picked up a simple clip before putting it back down. No use trying to tame it when she was already late.

The door opened with a push of a button, and she politely greeted Darcy. He wore a simple black tunic and slacks, his expression neutral as usual. Lizzie began to regret her decision to force him to spend time with her. Although she thought it was necessary to the safety of the crew, she didn't want to give him more reasons to think less of her.

"Captain," the commander nodded in response, and before she could say anything else he moved to give her the data PADDs he had been holding. "I composed a series of questions for you and saved my answers to the exact questions on the second PADD. They cover every aspect of what I believe will be necessary information, including personal information like romantic relationships and early childhood memories. You can, of course, choose not to answer but-"

"Command, I'm going to stop you right there," Lizzie stated firmly while setting the data PADDs on a side table and putting her other hand on her hip. "While I should've expected nothing less than for you to attack this problem with your usual logical vigor, I think we misunderstood each other."

Darcy stared at the data PADDs almost longingly before turning towards Lizzie again. "I can assure you the questionnaire is very thorough. After reviewing several options, I concluded this was the most effective course of action."

"Commander Darcy- can I just call you Darcy?" Lizzie continued after he nodded in acquiescence, "Darcy, who's the first person I would go to on this ship if I need to confide in someone?"

"Given her occupation and familial status, I would conclude Counselor Bennet," Darcy answered, secretly wondering where the captain was going with her questioning.

The captain clasped her hands in front of her chin and lowered her head thoughtfully. "And what I just wanted to vent about something? If I didn't want advice or anything, I just wanted to complain, who would I go to then?"

Lizzie almost crowed in victory at the furrow that appeared between Darcy's eyebrows. "I do not understand. Would you not still go to Counselor Bennet?"

"No, because she offers advice and likes to think the best of everyone. Don't get me wrong, it's very useful for her position, but sometimes it's easier for a human to just rant about something that angers them. It's like talking to yourself, but with another person to nod along." When Darcy continued to stare at her, Lizzie stepped to the side of her door and gestured to her living room. "Why don't you have a seat? I'd like to explain it better."

Darcy stiffly marched to the sofa and perched himself on the edge of the seat to the far left, leaving the remainder of the couch for Lizzie. She turned to rest her back on the sofa arm and swung her legs so she was sitting on them. She started out slowly, trying to articulate her thoughts in a way Darcy would understand. " I have been doing some research and I've seen cases where memories were 'stolen' or where people were researched so thoroughly that the impostors were able to do whatever they wanted with little notice. Or where there wasn't an impostor at all, but somebody was infected with something that... altered their behavior in some way. Human behavior is so nuanced and- and so complicated that I don't just want us to know each other well, I want us to be able to predict the other's behavior. What are your thoughts?"

Darcy tilted his head down by a fraction, paused, and looked up several seconds later. Lizzie was starting to think she could learn to read his emotions someday. "Your logic is sound. How would you prefer to proceed?"

"I think we should start by learning the other's habits. Where's your favorite place to go on the ship? We could go there and chat," Lizzie suggested with some trepidation. Although it was her idea, she had a feeling conversing with Darcy about personal matters would be akin to pulling out teeth.

The commander hesitated just for a moment, something she had never seen him do before. It wasn't as if he was thinking of an answer, but instead deciding on whether or not to answer. Her curiosity was piqued, so she was disappointed when he answered with a neutral, "I have no preference."

The captain smirked a little in response. "Sure you don't, Darcy. We can go to my favorite spot then. Or should I say one of my favorites." Lizzie stood up to walk out of her quarters, Darcy following close behind. Once they were in the hallway, walking towards the turbolift, Lizzie casually asked a question that had been on her mind since they first met. "So, tell me commander, why did you decide to join Starfleet?"

His reply sounded like he was reading straight out of a Starfleet pamphlet. "I chose Starfleet because of the superb career and academic opportunities."

Lizzie turned to look at him, and when he offered no other information she tried prompting him a little bit. "There weren't any good opportunities on Vulcan?"

If Lizzie didn't think that Darcy could be any more physically tense than he usually was then he just proved her wrong. His shoulders hunched infinitesimally and he folded his hands in front of his body. "No."

The word hung heavily in the air, and Lizzie, who didn't have steady verbal control on a good day, blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "I only joined Starfleet to piss off my mother. She has ancient views on gender roles and thought I should find a husband and settle down in the small town I grew up in. I can't even say I had noble intentions; I didn't think about helping people or the benefits of joining Starfleet, I did it because I'm stubborn and feel the need to prove myself to her." Some of the words jumbled together, given how fast they came out of her mouth, and she closed her eyes and grimaced to herself. _Great, this guy isn't even capable of small talk and I just unloaded several years of insecurity on him._

Beside her, Darcy started speaking again softly and Lizzie opened her eyes in shock. "While the opportunities in Starfleet did induce me to eventually join, I made the choice to move off Vulcan because of my personal circumstances. My father died when I was eighteen, and I decided to move with my sister to Earth as I believed she would thrive more in that type of atmosphere."

The turbolift stopped and the doors opened. As they continued down the hallway at a rather brisk pace, Lizzie asked tentatively, "Why did you think she would like Earth more? Isn't it overwhelming to Vulcans? Or even half-Vulcans?"

Darcy seemed to pause again, as if deciding how much he wanted to reveal. Lizzie couldn't blame him; they were hardly friends, and Darcy wasn't the type of person who got touchy-feely with anybody, much less a coworker. "Although my sister has many of the traits associated with Vulcans, she is human. The majority of the studies I reviewed when considering the move indicated that adolescent humans needed proper emotional care in order to grow up to be mentally healthy adults, even if that emotional care is from peers. Therefore, it was logical to conclude Earth would be a better environment for her."

Lizzie stopped at the doors to the holodeck and pressed a button on the panel. "Please begin program 'E Bennet #3," she prompted the computer. While they waited for the program to load she considered Darcy's statement. _He must really like his sister to move to Earth and live with a bunch of us humans._ _And how sad is it that he isn't able to show affection to even a close family member?_

The computer interrupted her morose thoughts by pronouncing that the program was ready. The commander and the captain stepped in at the same time. The holodeck had transformed into a beach shore with white sand and sparkling blue water. A colorful sunset covered the wall on the opposite side of the doors, and a picnic blanket laid near the water. As Lizzie sat on the blanket she began to question her choice of environment, but decided that anywhere she chose would make Darcy uncomfortable so _she_ might as well be relaxed. Darcy sat rigidly across from her, and Lizzie considered what she knew about her companion. He was a half-Vulcan who completely changed his life just for the chance to improve his sister's life, he did in fact have facial cues (they were just more subtle than any other person's), and he... well, that's basically all she knew. _But we're here to rectify that. "_ So, what other family do you have?"

"I have three cousins and an aunt on the maternal side of my family. I have no other living relatives."

When Darcy offered no other information she tried again. "Who's your favorite? Other than your sister, of course."

His lips turned down minutely. "I have no favorite relative, as that would be illogical."

The captain realized that would probably be a common answer from him, but that didn't deter her. Maybe framing her questions where the answer is quantifiable would be more useful when talking to a Vulcan. "Who do you spend the most time with then? Who do you talk to the most?"

For the first time since she met him, Darcy looked at her in bewilderment. "With James, of course."

"Uh, alright... why is that 'of course'?" Lizzie asked tentatively. She had a suspicion he was going to make her feel like a complete idiot.

Darcy tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. "We're on the same assignment. Naturally I would see him more than any of my other relatives."

Lizzie's eyes widened and she coughed in surprise. "You have a relative on the ship? That's a coinci- oh. Ohhhhh _James_ Fitzwilliam is your cousin. The brash, loud guy who likes yelling 'Ba-dam tss!' after giving terrible puns is genetically related to you. That's- that's... why can't I think of any words? It's like I'm having an aneurysm."

Darcy pressed the communicator on his chest in alarm. "Dr. Bennet, please have a medical team rep-", he began urgently. He stopped speaking at Lizzie's abrupt giggles. "Captain Bennet, I believe I should escort you to the medical bay."

Breathless from laughter, Lizzie told her sister she was fine before shutting off her communicator and turning back to her confused companion. Even when he was freaking out his facial expressions were kept at a minimum. "Darcy, that was hyperbole. Don't worry, you'll understand me someday." She waited until he sat back down to try to start the conversation again. "Why don't you tell me more about your sister?"


End file.
